Portable fence.



l. H. SHARMAN.

PORTABLE FENCE.

(Application led Oct. 12, 1899.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ISAAC H. SI'IARMAN, OF SINKING SPRINGS, PENNSYLVANIA.

PORTABLE FENCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 653,563, dated July 10, 190.

Application iiled October l2, 1899. Serial No. 733,392. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern.-

Beit known that I, ISAAC H. SHARMAN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Sinking Springs,Berks county,Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Portable Fences, of which the following is a specitication.

My invention relates to that class of portable fences which consists of panels each comprising a series of rails and two or more posts, the object of my invention being to so construct a fence of this character that when it is set up the panels will be firmly connected and rigidlybraced at the intersections and corners, so that a rin and substantial fence can be constructed without the necessity of digging holes for any of the posts.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a portion of fence constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 isan end view of one of the panels of the fence, illustrating the bracing devices therefor. Fig. 3 is a sectional view illustrating a locking device employed in connection with theadjoining panels of the fence, and Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are views illustrating special features of modifications of my invention.

In Fig. l of the drawings four panels of my improved fence are illustrated, each panel consisting of a series of rails and two vertical posts, the rails being represented, respectively, at a, b, c, and d and the posts at ct', b', c', and d. One post is located on one side of the series of rails and the other post on the opposite side of the same, the posts being some little distance from the ends ot' the rails, and in fitting panels of line-fence together the projecting ends of the rails overlap, the rails of one panel abutting against the posts of the next panel, as shown, while at the corners of the fence the ends of the rails ot' one panel abut against the projecting ends of the rails of the panel at right angles thereto and bear against the side of the end post of said panel, diagonal hooks f serving to connect the two panels together and preserve them in their proper angular relation to each other.'

Each post has a projecting foot which comprises portions g, projecting laterally in opposite directions from the posts and terminating in downwardly-bent prongs or spurs g', which are driven into the ground and .to those of the main brace.

posts at some ldistance above the bottom of 6o the same, or each foot may consist of a plate g3, having a projecting iiange g4 secured to the post by transverse bolts or rivets, as shown in Fig. 6.

Where the panels meet and overlap each other, they are held together by means of latches h, engaging with keepers h', each latch being pivoted to a rail `or post of one panel and its engaging keeper being carried by a post or rail of the adjoining panel and being 7o inclined inwardly from top to bottom, thus presenting a straight dbwnwardly-contracted opening, so that the channel for the recep tion of the latch h constantly decreases in width, as shown in Fig. 3. Hence as thelatch is forced down behind the keeper it wedges itself against the same and serves to effectually prevent any lateral Y movement of one panel independently of the other. Each of the latches also has an enlarged head h2, which 8o by engagement with the keepers serves to prevent longitudinal separation of the panels.

At eachmeeting of adjoining panels the fence has diagonal side braces t', one on the inside and one on the outside of the fence, which braces may both be carried by one panel of the fence or the inside brace may be car= ried'by one panel and the outside brace by the adjoining panel. Each brace is hung at its upper end to an eye 7l and is bent at the 9o lower end so as to form a loop 012, constituting a foot which bears upon the surface ofthe ground and supports the brace at that point,

a spur t3 running into the ground and serving as an anchor for the lower end or foot of the brace. If desired, each diagonal brace may be locked by a diagonal counterbrace t?,

as shown in Fig. 2, this counterbrace being hung to an eye t5 on the brace t' and having at its lower end a foot 112 and spur 3, similar roo Further security may be afforded by confining the foot of each brace to the ground by means of a T- headed spike i", as shown in Fig. 4.

The feet, braces, latches, and keepers employed in connection with my improved fence can be made of wire, sheet metal, wood, or other available material, wire being preferred because of its cheapness and the facility with which it can be bent into proper form and because while possessing the desired strength it is very light and occupies the smallest pos'- sible amount of room.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination in a portable fenceJ of panels, each composed of posts and rails, with pivoted latches and keepers for locking said panels together at the meeting-points, each keeper presenting a straight downwardlycontracted opening for the reception of the latch and each latch having a shouldered end 2o for engaging with the keeper, whereby the panels will be drawn laterally together as the latch is moving downward, and will be held longitudinally when the latch is fully depressed, substantially as described.

2. The combination, in a portable fence, of panels each consisting of posts and rails with diagonal braces extending laterally from said panels, and diagonal counterbraces hung to said diagonal braces, and extending inwardly. 

